“Pew’s relationship with the Arnold Foundation does not pass the smell test,” said Meredith Williams, Denver-based executive director of the National Council on Teacher Retirement. – ”Pension Funds Press Pew to Cut Arnold Foundation,” Philanthropy Today, March 4, 2014

If you’re looking for an example of how, increasingly, political debate in America is framed as a battle between tainted – and very powerful – special interests who harbor nefarious personal agendas, instead of a rational exchange of competing facts and logic aimed at finding optimal solutions, look no further.

Apparently, across the United States, any reputable nonprofit, from Pew and PBS to your underfunded start-up, now has to refuse gifts from major donors unless they happen to be (1) funded by public sector unions, or (2) originate from the pockets of left-wing billionaires. Everything else is tainted. Everything else fails the “smell test.”

Apart from the absurdity of tagging individuals and organizations with terms… Read More

In an opinion it published on March 3, the Sacramento Bee’s editorial board called the exercise of fundamental human rights by law-abiding people “a chilling prospect.”

We could not disagree more, and the United States Constitution could not be more clear: “A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.”

In 2008’s landmark District of Columbia v. Heller decision, the United States Supreme Court held that the right to keep and bear arms for self-defense protected under our Constitution’s Second Amendment was an individual one, unconnected to militia service. More than that,… Read More

Last week a judge ruled against the lawsuit to place the proposed public subsidy for the new basketballarena before Sacramento voters.

Local media heralded the decision.

But there is another Sacramento arena lawsuit taking place in Sacramento Superior Court. I’ve attended the court proceedings. And I’ve written about it.

The lawsuit accuses city officials of making a secret deal to provide an extra $80 million of public money to help the investors’ group beef up its offer against a well-funded Seattle group that wanted to buy the Kings and move them to Seattle, which lost its NBA team to Oklahoma City in 2008. Plaintiffs’ attorney Patrick Soluri said city officials have committed fraud because they have not fully informed the City Council and the public about details of the deal.

The city subsidy, according to the lawsuit, is actually $338 million — not the $258 million the city claims.

Most other media seem to be ignoring it, or incorrectly reporting the importance of the lawsuit, and allegations of fraud by city officials, and illegal gift of public funds.

This is serious. It’s not about being Kings arena deniers, as… Read More

It is criminal that the State of California can keep money it illegally collects from its citizens. Anyone who in good faith pays what ends up being an illegal tax should get their money back. It’s as simple as that.

That’s why this legislative session, I am proud to be sponsoring legislation to extend common sense protections to taxpayers. Two identical measures, AB 2510 (Wagner) and SB 1327 (Knight), would require the state to provide a full refund to all individuals who paid a tax later declared unconstitutional.

Currently, taxpayers are only eligible to receive refunds if they have exhausted all their administrative appeals remedies, even if the tax they paid is later declared illegal. AB 2510 and SB 1327 would require the state to automatically issue refunds to taxpayers whose information is up to date. It would also open up an additional appeals period of one year after a state tax is declared unconstitutional, giving taxpayers a chance to… Read More

Because of the conviction of one member of the state Senate, and the indictment of a second, Proposition 13 — and taxpayers who rely on its protections — may have slipped the noose being prepared for it by majority Democrats in the Legislature.

Senator Rod Wright, a Los Angeles Democrat, has taken a leave of absence after being been convicted, but not yet sentenced, on eight felony counts related to misstating his residence for the purpose of running for office. Senator Ronald… Read More

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When their colleague Ron Calderon was indicted on corruption charges, accused of taking more than $100,000 in bribes and charged with 24 counts of fraud, wire fraud, honest services fraud, bribery, conspiracy to commit money laundering, money laundering and aiding in the filing of false tax returns, the California State Senate did not exactly spring into action.

After a conference call the day of the indictment and then a meeting after a weekend break, Calderon’s fellow senators came to the conclusion that their duty was to respectfully ask him to resign and gave him a full week to consider their request. If he chose not to follow their advice, they thundered, they might be forced to suspend him from his responsibilities in the Senate, a paid vacation in which he would continue to draw his taxpayer-funded salary but would not have to show up for work and could devote himself fully to preparing for his legal defense.

Last night, Calderon saved his fellow senators the trouble of a vote by volunteering to take a paid leave of absence. As a result, his fully salaried vacation will commence immediately. Which leaves the rest of us to ask, “Exactly what does… Read More

Yesterday I took a call from my friend of more than 15 years — State Senator Mark Wyland. As most FR readers know, for quite some time Senator Wyland has been actively campaigning to succeed Michelle Steel on the State Board of Equalization. Steel, who is facing term limits, is seeking a seat on the Orange County Board of Supervisors. Wyland has been engaged in a rather high-profile (at least within political circles) contest with Assemblywoman Diane Harkey for the BOE seat.

Senator Wyland has decided to end his campaign for the Board of Equalization, and will not be completing the process of filing for that office.

While I have some thoughts on this decision by my friend, I first would like to share with you a statement that the Senator sent me after our call, that he asked me to pass along to our readers….

STATEMENT FROM STATE SENATOR MARK WYLAND

“This past weekend my family held a celebration of life for my mother,who passed away late last year. I thought about her advice to me, shortly before she passed away:… Read More

[It is not my typical form to post up media releases on this blog. But as I write this I am at the Club For Growth’s Winter Economic Conference in Florida, but I do want FlashReport readers to see this. — Flash]

Votes on Monday to “Suspend” Senators Calderon & Wright Knight, Anderson & Vidak call on Senate to cut short paid vacations for convicted and indicted senators

State Capitol – After preventing a vote on the resolution to expel Senator Rod Wright, the members of the California State Senate will be back in session on Monday, with a chance to revisit the issue.

Senators Steve Knight (R- Palmdale), Joel Anderson (R-Alpine) and Andy Vidak (R-Hanford) brought Senate Resolution 29 (the expulsion of Sen. Rod Wright who was found guilty of eight felonies in January) up for a vote yesterday. The Senate President pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg scuttled the vote on SR-29 by offering a substitute motion that passed (21-13) in the 40-member Senate. His parliamentary maneuvering effectively stopped… Read More